On the second day of the Major Economies Forum (MEF) in Paris, China said it too could support flexibility in setting targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions from rich nations.
On Monday, Germany and France suggested that rich nations should agree to a collective mid-term target for reducing emissions. This would lead to an averaged reduction, with some countries doing more in the short-term, and others–like the United States–catching up at a later date.
A Chinese climate policy official indicated his country could accept that arrangement, as long as developed nations agreed to mandatory emissions caps.
However, the level of the averaged emissions cap could remain a sticking point in the ongoing negotiations to create a global treat to combat climate change.
Germany and France said the level should be set between 25% to 40% below 1990 levels by 2020. China held firm to its position that the level must be 40% below.
However, China opened the door to continued negotiations beyond the December deadline in Copenhagen, stating that an agreement on principles could set aside specific negotiation points for later agreement.
Gao Guangsheng, a leading official in China’s National Coordination Committee for Climate Change, told Reuters the negotiators in Copenhagen in December may not be able to agree on a full-fledged climate change pact, but that the details could be settled later.
"Specifically whether it’s 40 or 30 or 20% or what, that may not be settled on first. As long as the United States says, ‘I should accept quantified emissions cuts’," Gao said.
Mexican Proposal
A Mexican proposal for raising the billions of dollars need to fight climate change reportedly is gathering significant support from ministers at the MEF meeting.
The plan calls for countries to contribute cash based on their past and current emissions of greenhouse gases, as well as the size of their gross domestic product.
Under such a system the United States and Europe would pay the most, while the poorest nations with the smallest emissions would receive funds.
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